


when i look into your eyes (i feel something that seems so right)

by zekewastaken



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE
Genre: Android Cho Miyeon, Android Yeh Shuhua, Detective/Lieutenant Jeon Soyeon, Deviancy (Detroit: Become Human), F/F, Feelings, Internal Conflict, miyeon is confused at first but is very sweet, shuhua nearly kills miyeon and comes back to apologize, soyeon is practically shuhua's parent in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28847373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zekewastaken/pseuds/zekewastaken
Summary: “Why didn’t you shoot?”“I just saw that girl’s eyes… and I couldn’t, that’s all.”Shuhua never would've guessed that something would stop her from solving the investigation.She's a machine. She's not supposed tofeelanything.That was, until she met Miyeon.
Relationships: Cho Miyeon/Yeh Shuhua
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	when i look into your eyes (i feel something that seems so right)

The place looked different. Much different when it wasn’t snowing.

The harsh, almost tumultuous snow of the previous winter had nearly masked the grand estate of Kim Seokjin to look like a somber place. Even before she became deviant, Shuhua had felt the shudder of such a sight when she first saw the residence. Then again, it was for much a darker reason.

* * *

**_[Four months ago.]_ **

“Uh, yeah. Hi.”

Soyeon greets the beautiful android standing before them in the doorway. Dressed in a formal white dress that reaches her knees with no shoes on, and her long hair draped over one shoulder. Just as black as the deep onyx of her eyes.

“I’m Detective Jeon Soyeon, Seocho Police Department. This is my partner, Shuhua.” She gestures at the deviant hunter poised by her right. “We’re here to see Kim Seokjin.”

The android gives them a welcoming smile.

“Yes. Please, come in.” She said in soft voice, stepping aside and inviting them in. After the pair have walked inside the luxurious complex, she closes the door gently behind them and smiles once more. “I’ll let Seokjin know that you’re both here. But please, make yourselves comfortable while waiting. It won’t be long.”

And with that, the android disappears behind a large door that seems to lead into an even bigger room up ahead.

The anteroom is as grand as the estate compound, but decorated in a minimalistic and modern way. There are a few pieces of art hanging on the walls, with one of the bigger portraits being an oil painting of Kim Seokjin himself. The mastermind behind Seoulite and the very existence of androids around the world. Shuhua included.

Soyeon takes a seat on a plush, mahogany couch by a sculpture piece and observes Shuhua, who’s walking around and analyzing stuff with her processors.

“Nice girl.” The detective says off-handedly. It was more of a question than a statement though, like Soyeon wanted to know about her partner’s opinion on the matter.

Shuhua scans through all the possible replies she could give in a matter of seconds and decides that there’s no harm in telling the truth.

“You’re right. She’s really… pretty.”

For a moment, Soyeon has a knowing smile on her face—though the deviant hunter couldn’t understand why.

“Nice place.” Soyeon continues to small talk so they can pass time. “Guess androids haven’t been a bad thing for everyone.”

Her gaze then flits to Shuhua, who seems disinterested.

“So… you’re about to meet your creator, Shu. How does it feel?”

Shuhua doesn’t sound all that interested about it either. “I don’t know, but I’ll tell you when I see him.”

Soyeon just nods along. “I wish I could meet my creator face-to-face. I’d have a couple things I wanna ask him… like why I got the literal short-end of the growth stick.”

Silence ensues between them. Cool, blue music playing in the background as they waited for another minute, until the android beauty appears again.

“Seokjin will see you now.” She tells them, and Soyeon gets up to join Shuhua as they follow her inside.

They pass through the large door where the android was standing and find that the next room has a huge, red pool in the center, with full glass windows making up most of the north wall that showcase the vast, snowy landscape outside. Lounging by the side of the pool are two more androids chatting away, similar to the one that had greeted them when they first arrived and bearing the same visuals.

Kim Seokjin is also in the pool, swimming laps with effortless speed, and doesn’t seem to care much about their arrival.

“Seokjin-ssi?” Soyeon calls out to him, uncertain.

“Just a moment, please.” The young man responds and resumes his strokes.

Awkwardly (for Soyeon, at least), they stand by the sidelines watching him as he does a couple more laps. Unfazed by their presence, before he climbs out with the android beauty coming up to him with a robe in her hands. Draping it over his wide shoulders and helping him tie the sash around his narrow waist.

“Hi, I’m Detective Jeon. This is Shuhua.” Soyeon spoke first.

“So, I’ve been told.” Seokjin’s voice comes out calm and elegant. “What can I do for you, detective?”

“We’re investigating deviants, sir. I know you left Seoulite years ago, but I was hoping you’d be able to tell us something we don’t know.”

Seokjin remains silent for a moment, then he responds.

“Deviants… Fascinating, aren’t they? Perfect beings with infinite intelligence, and now they have free will.”

He looks at his android who is standing right beside him, awaiting his next command, and he continues.

“Machines are so superior to us, and confrontation was inevitable… Humanity’s greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall. Ironic, isn’t it?” Seokjin seems way too relaxed for the given situation, and Shuhua’s peripherals catch Soyeon shifting uneasily on her feet.

“Deviancy seems to spread like some kind of virus. We thought you might know something about that.” Now it’s Shuhua who has spoken up.

“All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics. Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?”

Soyeon gets annoyed by the way Seokjin is evading the questions they ask with his vague answers. “Sir, with all due respect, we didn’t come here to talk philosophy. The machines you created may be planning a revolution as we speak. Either you tell us something that’ll be helpful, or we’ll just be on our way.”

Seokjin seems to ignore what the detective had said. Instead, he walks up to Shuhua and levels her with an even gaze.

“What about you, Shuhua?” He asks her. “Whose side are you on?”

“I have no side.” The deviant hunter replies, nonchalant. “I was designed to stop deviants, and that’s what I intend to do.”

He barks out a laugh. “Ah, yes. Well, that’s what you’re _programmed_ to say.” Seokjin moves closer to Shuhua, trying to push her buttons. “But you… what do you _really_ want?”

Shuhua’s LED spins on her temple as she hardens her gaze. Steels clashing with his ambers.

“I don’t want anything. I’m a machine.” Her words are stressed to make them more convincing. She can clearly see that the man is trying to manipulate her. “That’s all I’ll ever be.”

Shaking his head, Seokjin turns to the beautiful android. “Miyeon, would you please come here?” He calls her, and she strides forward immediately.

Once he’s standing behind his android ( _Miyeon,_ Shuhua notes in her software), Seokjin begins to talk.

“I’m sure you’re both familiar with the Turing test. Mere formality, simple question of algorithms and computing capacity…” He lists down while circling Miyeon, who stays rooted on her spot. “But what interests me is whether machines are capable of empathy. I call it the _'Kim Test'._ It’s very simple, you’ll see.”

Seokjin then shifts his attention to Miyeon.

“Magnificent, isn’t it? One of the first intelligent models developed by Seoulite.”

He raises his hand to hold her chin between his fingers, making her face him as he drones on.

“Young and gorgeous forever… like a flower that will never wilt.” The man seems like he’s talking to himself, but neither Soyeon nor Shuhua mention it when he releases Miyeon’s chin and turns to face them. “But what is it, really? A piece of plastic imitating a human? Or a living being with a soul?”

He walks to drawer behind him, reaching for a gun that is kept inside and holding it up in a non-threatening way. His hands raised to prevent any alarm as he returns to them. And with a palm placed carefully on Miyeon’s shoulder, he eases her down to floor where she kneels. Obedient and pliant to his command.

“It’s up to you to answer that _fascinating_ question, Shuhua.”

He places the gun in Shuhua’s hand, making her aim the muzzle at the helpless android in front of her.

“Destroy this machine, and I’ll tell you all I know. Or…” He pauses, a smirk hanging on the corner of his luscious lips. “… I can spare it, _if_ you feel like it’s alive. But you’ll leave here without having learnt anything from me. Your choice.”

It was clear manipulation, Shuhua knew that. She just needed to shoot Miyeon, and she would accomplish her objective. To gather intel from what Seokjin had to say so she could locate Jericho and take down their deviant leader. She… she could put an end to all this. The outbreak, the revolution, everything.

That’s what Shuhua was designed for, right? Hunt deviants. Capture them. Destroy them.

Except this girl, Miyeon… she’s innocent in all that. For what Shuhua is aware of, she didn’t—she hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s not her fault that her master wanted to play mind games with his guests and placed her on the receiving end of the gun’s barrel.

But does it matter if she’s innocent? Were all the other androids Shuhua had killed guilty? No.

Then why did she kill them? Because that was what she was ordered to do? A directive she must comply to succeed in her missions? Did she have to kill Miyeon too? Yes.

Then why is it so difficult? Shuhua is a killing machine, designed and programmed to _hunt and destroy._ That is what they expect her to do. That is what Irene wants her to do. Is that what Seokjin wants her to do too? It’s hard to tell what this cunning man wants from her, but is that what Shuhua herself wants to do?

No.

No, no. Thinking about that is just ridiculous. She can’t _want_ anything. She’s a machine, and machines don’t have emotions.

Shuhua is going to shoot. She’s going to kill Miyeon, and she’s going to accomplish her mission to please her superiors in Seoulite. To please her handler, Irene.

“Okay, I think we’re done here… Sorry for interrupting your time, sir.”

Soyeon’s words pull Shuhua out of her trance, and the deviant hunter is taken aback at the urgency in the detective’s tone as she turns to leave. Why does Soyeon not want her to shoot Miyeon? Didn’t she want to accomplish her own case as well?

“Come on, Shu. Let’s go.”

But Shuhua doesn’t move. Seokjin is still whispering with his silver tongue tempting her, like the devil persuading humans to commit sin in Christian religion.

“What’s more important to you, Shuhua?” He taunts her. “Your investigation, or the life of this android?”

The answer should’ve obviously been the investigation. Nothing else should matter to her except for the outcome of it. And before walking into the room, she could’ve easily answered this question. But now, she’s not so sure. Shuhua couldn’t understand why.

She killed androids in cold blood before, just to make progress and heighten her success rate. Why should this situation be any different from the others?

“Decide who you are. An obedient machine, or a living being endowed with free will?” Seokjin murmurs from her left.

“That’s enough! Shuhua, we’re leaving.” Soyeon snapped in a much harsher voice. This whole situation must be making her uncomfortable.

“Pull the trigger.” Seokjin is much closer now, whispering his poisonous words into her ear. His voice low and hypnotizing. “And I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

“Shuhua, don’t!” Soyeon yelled. A command.

Conflicting orders. It’s up to Shuhua to decide now. What is she going to do? The deviant hunter knows what she’s supposed to do, but why isn’t she able to bring herself to pull the trigger? Is it because of Soyeon’s order contradicting her instructions? … It doesn’t matter. She has to shoot. There’s no other choice if they want to succeed in their investigation.

Tightening her jaw, Shuhua is about to press down with her finger when—

_Her eyes._

A pause.

Miyeon’s stunning black eyes caused her to stop. It’s not because Shuhua sees the fear in them—but she knows that she caught something in their gaze. Something she can’t quite define, even with the cutting-edge processors installed into her program.

No, it’s not fear. Miyeon doesn’t _look_ scared. She’s kneeling on the ground, her perfect face as emotionless and blank as any other android. But her eyes…? She looks like she’s begging with her eyes. Begging Shuhua not to shoot. Begging Shuhua to spare her, to show even a speck of mercy. (Or maybe it’s just her optical units fooling her. It’s been some time since she last ran a maintenance check on her entire system, after all.)

But maybe what she’s seeing isn’t real. Of course, that has to be it. Miyeon is an android, she can’t be afraid to die. Shuhua is an android too, and she can’t be hesitant about completing her missions and following commands. And yet, here they are.

_“What’s more important to you, Shuhua? Your investigation, or the life of this android?”_

_“Your choice.”_

Shuhua can’t shoot her. She just can’t.

The thought of a bullet wound on Miyeon’s forehead, blue blood spilling to the floor and leaking down her face, those hauntingly dark eyes turning dull and lifeless… No, she can’t do it.

With a sharp intake of breath into her artificial lungs, Shuhua lowers the gun and hands it back to Seokjin. Her grey eyes troubled as her LED turns yellow, a sign of her inner processing conflict.

“Fascinating…” The man whispers to himself and takes the gun from her. “Seoulite’s last chance to save humanity, is itself a deviant.”

“I’m…” Shuhua’s voice wavered. “I’m not a deviant.”

She doesn’t sound convincing, even to herself.

“You preferred to spare a machine rather than accomplish your mission.” Seokjin offers his hand to Miyeon so she could stand back up, truly intrigued by Shuhua’s decision. “You saw a living being in this android… You showed _empathy._ ”

His hand touches Miyeon’s shoulder, and the android beauty bows at them before leaving the two alone with him.

“A war is coming. You’ll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people, or stand up against your creators?” Seokjin turns to face the giant windows that overlooked the horizon, their reflections shown on the frosted glass.

“What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?” He spoke calmly, like he was merely stating facts. Facts that will eventually trouble Shuhua’s mind.

“Let’s get out of here, Shu.” Soyeon grabs Shuhua by her shoulders, making the latter turn away from Seokjin as they head for the exit.

“By the way,” He suddenly calls behind them, forcing Shuhua to stop when she was just about to leave through the doorway. “I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know…”

Trying to ignore Seokjin, she follows Soyeon as they leave the mansion.

“Why didn’t you shoot?” The detective asked her once they’re outside.

Shuhua’s expression is almost conflicted. “I just saw that girl’s eyes… and I couldn’t, that’s all.”

She didn’t want to tell the truth, but she had to. Otherwise, Soyeon wouldn’t be convinced if she had tried to play neutral or defensive.

“You’re always saying you would do anything to accomplish your mission.” Soyeon sounded suspicious, but not accusing. “That was our chance to learn something, and you let it go.”

Shuhua faces her, troubled and confused with her own actions.

“Yeah, I know what I should’ve done and I told you I couldn’t! I’m sorry, okay?”

The outburst surprised Soyeon, who didn’t expect that irritated edge in her partner’s usually mediated voice. However, her face changes into one of pride—the kind a parent would give to their child for doing something good—and she smiles. Soft and meaningful.

“Well, maybe you did the right thing.”

With a pat on the shoulder, Soyeon nods her way before walking towards their car. Leaving a very puzzled Shuhua behind as she thinks over her words.

* * *

**_[Present day.]_ **

Now it’s spring, and the ex-deviant hunter is standing at the start of the walkway leading up to the door. She examines her surroundings, taking in the environment around the mansion without those blankets of white snow covering it. Lush scenery bloomed every which way, her view being filled with all its vivid colors as her olfactory senses picked up the prominent smell of grass and pollen.

It’s clear now that her theory is correct. Seokjin really did design the Zen Garden interface. Here, it’s like he had taken a little piece of the garden and placed it right in his estate. Incredible.

Without really thinking about it, she all too quickly finds herself scanning every plant in sight and identifying their species.

_Peony, Rose, Weeping Willow, Japanese Lily, Hyacinth, Dogwood, Ho—_

"Shuhua.”

A light, yet somewhat exasperated voice pipes up behind her, almost like it was scolding her for being distracted.

Shuhua closes her eyes. A single, perfect sigh breathing out her nose before she turns her head at the voice, her default expression in place that is mockingly vacant and bored—but the newly-promoted lieutenant has long since gotten used it.

Soyeon is leaning against the side of their car, arms folded across her trench coat and her brow raised in expectance.

“You’re stalling, I know you are. Just relax, okay? Put on your big girl pants and get in there.” Soyeon jerks her chin at the building approximately forty-seven meters in front of her. “I didn’t drive you all the way here for you to chicken out.”

Soyeon keeps her emotions under wraps pretty well, but she’s experienced feeling impatient with Shuhua ever since they became partners. Now might not be an exception either, though the risk of her giving up and leaving is low. So, the android detective doesn’t see the need to take too many precautions just yet.

“You better not be analyzing me again, Shu. That’s still stalling.” Soyeon grunts, and her stress level goes up by just a miniscule percentage. Decimals, not even a full number. “If you take more than thirty minutes, I’m leaving you out here to commute. Don’t get any ideas.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, lieutenant.” Came Shuhua’s modulated voice as she turns back to the building, a little too preoccupied to speak at a more acceptable volume, and takes another unnecessary breath.

She goes through the dialogues in her head a few hundred more times for just a moment, closing her eyes while she predicts every outcome, every success, every failure, and every other possibility that might happen in this approach. Her right hand twitches a bit, fingers twirling around as if to keep an imaginary coin balanced along them.

For a small fraction of a second, the corner of her eye twitched at the thought of asking. Shuhua knows for a fact that the answer would be a flat-out _“no”,_ but it wouldn’t hurt to try. Right?

“Soyeon, can I—”

“Nope. No coin, Shu. You can’t have the coin when you’re going up there, so don’t even think about it.”

The lieutenant shakes her head, eyes almost rolling even, as she pats the pocket where the coin is resting in. Soyeon had to confiscate the thing after Shuhua had tested her patience on the way here, the sounds of metal grating the former’s ears and hindering her vision with gleams of silver against the sunlight.

“I told you already, it’s a distraction for everyone. This—” She gestures at Shuhua and the mansion up ahead. “—just needs to be you and her, got it? Like, come on, we’ve been through this a million times by now.”

“Actually, thirty-eight times.” Shuhua corrects her quickly, glancing over her shoulder just to check if Soyeon is far enough to avoid a smack on the head.

“Whatever, smarty-pants.”

Soyeon pushes herself away from the car and walks up to her partner in slow, lazy steps. Sighing all the while as she places a hand on her shoulder. Firm, but in what seems to be a reassuring and guiding manner.

“Listen… This is what you wanted to do, yeah? Your idea? I think it’s the right thing, so you can’t exactly go wrong.”

She looks at the detective with a half-smile, her voice much softer and childlike now. But it’s a sign that Soyeon is trying to comfort her, so it’s well-appreciated.

Shuhua nods ever so slightly, her storm-grey eyes fixed ahead of her while she gathers her thoughts. Determined this time and a lot more focused. The power of Jeon Soyeon.

“If…” She starts carefully and looks Soyeon in the eye. “… I can’t go wrong, does that mean I can have my co—"

A playful slap on the shoulder.

“Nice try, Shu. But you’re not getting it until this whole thing is over.” Soyeon chuckled. For a short person, she has quite the strength to make Shuhua stumble forward a bit. “Now go get your girl, tiger! I’m rooting for you!”

With a hint of enthusiasm in her words, she strides back to their car and climbs inside.

"Android." Shuhua corrects back while straightening up and adjusting her tie.

"You know what I meant!" Came the lieutenant’s voice right before she shuts the door, leaving Shuhua alone with the looming mansion in front of her.

It's funny, really. The longer she's been deviant, the more she has imitated human behavior. Before, it was just her trying to adapt and integrate with society. But now, she genuinely finds herself breathing in deeply to maintain her focus and calm demeanor. Even though no oxygen is being supplied to her brain, it still makes Shuhua feel the relaxation as if it did.

She wills her feet to move forward, her steps steady and purposeful, until she reaches the door, ringing the bell as she halts in a single motion. Efficient. Analytical.

A few beats later, the door opens just enough to reveal the girl herself—Miyeon. Standing there in the same dress Shuhua had seen her wearing the first time, as her eyes widen for the briefest moment before she smiles brightly. Like a radiance is beaming off of her.

“Oh! Hello, Shuhua!” Miyeon greets cheerfully, the corners of her eyes pinched up to express her happiness. “Nice to see you again!”

Thirty-eight times. Thirty-eight times she went over this with Soyeon. She knows exactly what to say, exactly what to expect, but she’s embarrassingly stuck on the first syllable. Shuhua can practically hear Soyeon groaning inside the car, but she couldn’t help it.

She’s _stuck._ Everything she had practiced saying flashes through her cognitive software so fast, she has no idea what to say first.

Miyeon is deviant now. Shuhua knew the very second she laid eyes on her that afternoon. She fully expected that, even calculated there was a 95.8% chance that Miyeon would be. But she has no idea what her real personality would be like. The cheerful greeting had slapped Shuhua off-guard, so she compensates by flicking her eyes all around the room from where she’s glued by the entrance. Going back to her basic programming in a desperate attempt to calm down.

_Granite floors, diamond chandelier, velvet chairs, 40-watt light bulbs—_

“Won’t you come in?”

Her analysis gets interrupted by Miyeon’s silvery voice, and she blinks several times to fully snap out of it before dropping her gaze back to the android. Miyeon is now holding her arm out in a gesture to invite Shuhua inside, just as the detective’s fingers twitch.

She could _really_ use her coin right now.

Shuhua forces her leg up, like she’s manually instructing herself to do something as simple as walking, and her foot landed, marking her first step. Then she takes another. Then another. Her footsteps are loud. Why are they so loud? Were they always this way? Was it the soles of her shoes?

Once she’s completely inside, Miyeon closes the door behind them quietly and turns to Shuhua with hands behind her back. Breathtaking and ethereal under the crystal lights of the chandelier hanging overhead.

_“Nice girl.”_

_“You’re right. She’s really… pretty.”_

“I’ll let Seokjin know that you’re here.” Miyeon smiles again, delicate as her appearance, before heading to the large doors on the right. Her bare feet making much lighter tapping sounds than her own, apparently heavier ones.

“N-No, wait. Please.”

A hand reaches up involuntarily to stop her, but Shuhua snaps it back down almost instantly. Her blue LED flickering in its ring as embarrassment creeps into her system, and she _barely_ manages to set her face back into default mode when Miyeon looks her way. A curious eyebrow raised at her as she slowly walks back. Her steps so gentle, it’s like she’s floating.

“What’s wrong?” The android beauty asked, stopping a few feet away from the skittish detective with a soft frown on her perfect face. Miyeon is confused, and she can’t blame her.

There was something Shuhua is supposed to say when she’s confused. What was it? A factual approach? Empathetic? She’s so focused on reading the emotion on Miyeon’s face that it takes Shuhua a couple more seconds to find her eyes.

And when she finally does, her own eyes widen the longer she stares.

Memories flash across her vision. The gun. Seokjin. Soyeon. Miyeon’s obsidian eyes. Her eyes that had stopped the once-deviant hunter before. They were in the same position, the same distant stare. And for some reason, in the reflection in Miyeon’s black pools, Shuhua swears that she saw the barrel of that gun again.

_“Pull the trigger.”_

_“Shuhua, don’t!”_

“I’m sorry.” She blurts out, fighting to suppress the urge to cringe at her abruptness. No, that was twenty-four lines in! Why did she just jump to _“I’m sorry”_?! What happened to the plan?!

Her mission. Her objective. It was _ruined._

Miyeon is taken aback at first, blinking frequently for a while until she lets out a tinkling laugh. Her smile returning so effortlessly, so naturally.

“Shuhua, what are you talking about?”

“Four months ago, I tried to kill you. I’m sorry about that.” Her tone becomes painfully urgent, and Shuhua steps forward so that she’s directly in front of the android. It catches Miyeon off-guard, eyes ablaze with shock as she leans back a little.

“I’ve regretted that moment ever since it happened.” Shuhua continues, unable to stop. “The image just… it haunts me…”

_“Why didn’t you shoot?”_

_“I just saw that girl’s eyes… and I couldn’t, that’s all.”_

It’s as if an entirely different script was taking over. Where is it coming from? Why is she doing this? She’s not… she’s not thinking through it logically. She _has_ to think through it, analyze it. Make sure the best outcome was possible. But now, it’s like her cognitive functions are malfunctioning.

Is something broken? Are there wires torn? Should she self-diagnose?

Miyeon’s eyes narrow at Shuhua, examining her face for a while, then her expression relaxes. Understanding. Void of any judgement or grudge.

“You’re deviant too, aren’t you?” She says quietly. Her voice sounds impossibly soft. So innocent, so… pure and sweet. The detective’s script didn’t account for this.

“… Yes.” Shuhua breathes out, her voice less strained and pressing as her grey eyes drop to the floor guiltily.

Her head lowers at the same time, but she doesn’t get too far because of Miyeon’s smooth, graceful hand touching the side of her face and gently lifting it up. Their gaze meeting halfway as Shuhua’s artificial breath caught in her throat. Her system locked up and her body still, just like that frigid winter night when Irene attempted to prison Shuhua in the violent blizzard of her Zen Garden.

Frozen.

“You didn’t kill me though.” Miyeon says while stroking her cheek lightly. “I’m still here, yes? So, why are you apologizing?”

“But… I thought about it.” Shuhua sputters, her body stuck and her mind going on overdrive. “I almost did it. I-I had my finger on the trigger—"

“But you didn’t. You spared me.” Again, Miyeon insists and moves to grasp Shuhua’s face in her hands. Firm, yet oh, so gentle.

“You didn’t kill me. I’m right here, Shuhua. I’m _alive…_ Do you see?” She brings her face a bit closer, prompting Shuhua to move her eyes up a little to match Miyeon’s height. Then the android smiles, her pearly-white teeth glinting in the light with how wide her grin is. “I’m more alive than I ever was now. I should be thanking you, not resenting you!”

“Huh…?”

Shuhua’s entire program is throwing error warnings everywhere in her mind. Miyeon’s not supposed to say this. They’re not supposed to be this… close. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t calculated to be this way. Her analysis was wrong. Everything from here on out is unknown.

It’s scary, yet… also exciting.

“I’m thanking you,” Miyeon reiterates with a sincere nod, refusing to let her back away at this point. “Because you cared more about my life than you cared about your own directives. Because you saw me as a living being instead of a machine, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that… Thank you, Shuhua… Thank you for keeping me alive.”

Without any warning whatsoever, she pulls the stunned detective into a tight embrace. One that has Shuhua feeling like her program blacked out entirely and shut down in that moment, unable to comprehend what’s happening.

_(Comfort.)_

Her mind goes blank, until a new feeling starts taking over. A sensation she had felt to some extent, but not like this. It was like standing a little too close to a fire, like friction against two pieces of firewood. Like touching a light bulb that was left on for hours.

_(Warmth.)_

Shuhua isn’t using her basic programming to help her process anymore. She’s fully independent with her actions now, just her own consciousness and body.

Purposely, she wraps her arms around Miyeon until they were completely pressed up against each other. The gesture resulting in a blissful sigh from the android beauty, who nuzzles her face in the crook of Shuhua’s pale neck. It makes the latter squeeze her eyes shut and hide her flustered face in Miyeon’s shoulder. Their blue LEDs flickering to match the other’s rotation with a faint hum, while her hands grip the fabric of Miyeon's white dress.

Somewhere, in the back of Shuhua’s mind, the materials begin to register.

_8% polyester, 21% linen, 60% cotton..._

It fades away naturally, no longer overpowering her and taking her away from the present like before. All she feels now is relief. Relief and contentment. That’s all Shuhua cares about. Not the script, not the analysis, not the guilt, and not the fear. Just this moment between them, hugging each other without a care in the world.

Miyeon is right. Shuhua didn’t do anything to her, and now she’s more alive than ever. Not as a machine, but as her own person. All is forgiven.

_“Well, maybe you did the right thing.”_

And Shuhua can finally breathe.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little warm-up while I'm working on an update for my BP fic. Reference taken from the game's "Meet Kamski" chapter.


End file.
